POTENTIAL-CONFINED COLD-PLASMA STABILIZATION OF LOSS-CONE MODES IN MIRROR MACHINES

The analysis of cold plasma stabilization of the drift-cyclotron-loss-cone mode in mirror machines is extended to conditions in which the cold plasma is confined by a weak local minimum in the ambipolar potential. These conditions allow stabilization with less electron energy drain than simple axial flow of cold plasma. Scaling laws are derived for the required cold plasma flux, the resulting fluctuation induced ion diffusion, the steady state electron temperature, and the trapped-ion lifetime. © 1979 American Institute of Physics.